Partition structure



Nov. 1, 1966 H. F. CAMPBELL ETAL 3,282,007

PARTITION STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 25, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 wgma A 2 Fugb A /r /R DE COLUMNA BY m M M w W ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1966 H. F. CAMPBELL ETAL 3,

PARTITION STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1962 FIG.3

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FRED CAMPBELL 6 Lfisomwe DE COLUMNA ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1966 H. F. CAMPBELL ETAL 3,282,0fi7

PARTITION STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 23, 1962 Wf/TW FIG. 7

INVENTO FRED CAMPBELL FUBOMYR DE Cow 9 m ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1966 H. F. CAMPBELL ETAL 3,232,007

PARTITION STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 25, 1962 mvEmog H. FRED CAMPBELL LUBOMYR DE COLUMNA BY ATTORNEYS 1966 H. F. CAMPBELL ETAL 3,282,007

PARTITION STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 23, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS H. FRED CAMPBELL & LUBOMYR DE COLUMNA ATTQQNEYS 3,28Zfid7 Patented Nov. 1, 1&66

3,282,007 PARTI'IIGN STRUCTURE Henry Fred Campbell, Belleville, and Lubomyr De Columna, Detroit, Mich, assignors to Unit Products Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Jan. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 168,446 6 Claims. (Cl. 52-475) This invention relates to partition structures such as may be used to form otfice partitions and the like in a building.

In conventional partition structures such as are commonly used to form office and laboratory partitions, a plurality of wall panels are mounted in adjacent relationship with rigid members forming the joint between the Wall panels. In such partition structures, if a window or door is to be placed in a new position or if a wall panel is to be replaced because of damage, it is usually necessary to completely disassemble the wall or partition.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel partition structure wherein any portion thereof can be readily assembled with a minimum number of tools.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a partition structure wherein a part, such as a wall panel, can be readily removed without disturbing the remaining wall panels.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a partition structure wherein any particular area can be readily adapted to have a solid wall panel, a window or a door.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a partition structure wherein wiring for telephones and electrical connections is readily threaded between panels so that the panels themselves need not be cut, drilled or otherwise modified for such telephone or electrical connections.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a partition structure wherein accommodations may be readily made for misalignment between the ceiling, floor and walls of the room in which the partition is to be placed.

Basically, the novel partition structure embodying the invention comprises a joint assembly between adjacent panels that comprises a pair of diametrically opposed retainer members that interengage the wall panels and a pair of diametrically opposed mullion members, the edges of which engage and clamp the edges of the retainer members. The mullion members are drawn together as by screws to clamp them against the edges of the retainer members, thereby forming a rigid box-like joint between adjacent panels. The joint is hollow so that wiring for telephones, electricity and the like can be threaded therethrough. In addition, the novel partition structure includes telescoping channels which are provided along the floor, wall and ceiling of the room and can be adjusted relative to One another so that the panels may be aligned even though the floor, walls and ceiling of the room are misaligned.

In th drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective of a room embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary part-sectional plan view of a panel used in the partition structure shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 44 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an exploded sectional view, similar to FIG. 4, showing the assembling of a section of the partition structure.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the end of a mullion member used in the partition structure.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevation of the corner of the partition structure shown in FIG. 1 between the ceiling and wall of the room in which the partition is located.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a horizontal channel member used in the structure in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 9-9 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vertical channel member used in the structure shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing the portion of the partition structure along the floor of the room in which the partition structure is located.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary end view of one of the horizontal retainer members used in the joint shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary elevation showing the portion of the partition structure between adjacent horizontal and vertical wall panels.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view of a corner section taken substantially along the line 14-14 in FIG. 1

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary elevation of the portion of the partition structure along the floor at the door in FIG. 1.

FIG. 16 is an exploded fragmentary sectional view showing the various portions of the joint for mounting the door shown in FIGS. 1 and 14.

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary perspective view of the portion of the partition structure shown in FIG. 15.

Referring to FIG. 1, the partition structure embodying the invention is adapted to be used for forming walls in the interior of a room. As shown, for example, in FIG. 1, the partition structure can be utilized to form a separate room in one corner of a room that is already in existence. Thus, one wall 20 of the room can be formed of wall panels 21, 22, 23, 24, and window panel 26 while another wall can be formed of wall panels 27, 28, 29 and 3t window panel 31 and a door 32. As will be readily seen, the walls can be formed of any combination of wall panels, window panels or doors of various sizes as may be desired.

As presently described, the novel partition structure comprises a basic joint assembly which is used between adjacent wall or glass panels and a mounting assembly which is used between the ceiling, wall or floor and the panels.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the basic joint assembly I comprises diametrically opposed retainer members 35 of identical cross section which extend substantially along the entire length of the wall or glass panels and a pair of diametrically opposed mullion members 36a, 361) which are adapted to be clamped and engage the edges of the retainer members 35. Each retainer member 35 is preferably made from an aluminum extrusion and includes a flat wall 37 and offset end walls 38 of substantially uniform thickness. As shown in FIG. 2, each wall panel P has a groove in its peripheral edge. Panel P can be hollow in construction, as shown. A rib 39 extends at a right angle from the outer face of wall 37 into complementary groove 40 in the side wall panel P to retain the wall panel in position.

Each of the mullion members 36a, 36b is also preferably made from an aluminum extrusion and includes a substantially flat wall 411, a pair of longitudinally extending walls 42 extending at a right angle from the edges of Wall 41 and a pair of longitudinally extending walls 43 extending at a right angle from the inner face of the wall 41 at a right angle, the walls 42 being slightly longer than the walls 43. Each wall 42 has substantially the same thickness as the end wall 37 of the retainer members 35 so that when the mullion members 36a, 3611 are clamped on the edges of the end walls 38 of retainer members 35, the end walls 38 are telescoped between the walls 42, 43 and the walls 4-2 extend into the space 45 so that the outer surfaces of the walls 42 are flush with the outer surface of the wall 37 of the retainer members 35.

The retainer members 36a, 36b are clamped together by an arrangement which includes longitudinally extending ribs 46 that extend at a right angle from the inner surface of the wall 41 of rnullion member 36a and have longitudinally extending serrations 47 on the opposed inner surfaces thereof. Screws 48 extend through openings 49 at longitudinally spaced points on wall 41 of rnullion member 3612 and are threaded into the serrations 47 to clamp the rnullion members 36a, 36b along the edges of side walls 33 of the retainer members 35.

This forms a substantially rigid box-like joint which can be used as a horizontal or vertical joint to retain the panel members P in position. The joint is hollow so that wires can be threaded for telephone and electrical connections and switches S (FIG. 1) can be mounted, as may be desired, on the rnullion members to accommodate the needs of the newly created room.

As shown in FIG. 4, where a glass panel G is provided instead of a solid wall panel P, the glass pane or panel G is retained in position on the adjacent modified retainer member as by a suitable joint which includes a rib 50 against which the glass panel G is .positioned and retained by a removable U-shaped strip 51 held in position by screws 52 threaded in the wall 37.

When it is desired to remove a panel P or glass panel G, it is merely necessary to loosen the screws 48 of the joint permitting the rnullion members 36a, 36b to be moved outwardly so that the retainer members 35 or 35a can be then removed by moving them laterally away from the panels in the plane of the panels. This permits a panel to be removed, as desired, without affecting the joints between other panels in the partition structure.

The floor joint of the partition structure comprises telescoping U-shaped channels 60, 61, as shown in FIG. 3. The inner channel is first placed on the floor, in the desired position, and screws 62 are threaded into the floor to hold the channel 60 in desired position. A washer 63 on screw 62 engages the top surface of the base wall 64 of the channel 60. The outer channel 61 is then telescoped over the channel 60, the legs 65 of channel 61 telescoping over the legs 66 of channel 60. By means of a level, the top wall 67 of the outer channel 61 is levelled and then the channels are fastened in adjusted position by a suitable fastening means which, as shown in FIG. 3, comprises a screw 68 that extends through openings that are drilled in the walls 65, 66 and is threaded into a nut 69, extending through openings drilled in the opposite walls 65, 66. The top wall 67 of the outer base channel 61 is formed with a longitudinally extending rib 70 that is adapted to engage a complementary groove 40 in the panels positioned on the channel. In this manner, the base or floor joint is formed for the partition structure and the lower edge of each panel can be made absolutely horizontal even though the floor may not be perfectly horizontal or level.

As shown in FIGS. 7, 9 and 11, the side wall joint is similarly formed by an inner U-shaped channel 72, fixed to the side wall and an outer U-shaped channel 73, which is telescoped over the inner channel 72. In installing the partition the outer channel 73 is aligned vertically by a level and then secured to channel 72 by screw 73a. Outer channel 73 is formed with a rib 84 on the base thereof for engaging the groove 40 of a panel P.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the joint between the ceiling and the panels is similarly formed by an inner U- shaped channel 74 that is fastened to the ceiling by expansion bolts 75 and an outer U-shaped channel 76 telescoped over channel 74. The base of channel 76 is formed with a rib 83 for engaging the groove 40 of a panel P.

In the assembly of the partition structure, the side wall joint is first placed and levelled in position, the base joint is then placed and levelled in position, and thereafter the ceiling joint is formed, the telescoping relation of the channel 76 to the channel 74 accommodating for variations between the level of the ceiling and the floor. The channel 76 is then fixed to the channel 74 by screws 78 that are threaded through openings drilled in the walls of the channels.

In order to provide a neat and effective joint between the base joint and the side wall joint, suitable accommodation is made in the channels. As shown, for example, in FIGS. 79, the outer U-shaped channel 76 is provided at its ends with slots 80 in the base thereof to accommodate the walls 81 of the inner side channel 72 which extend upwardly through the slots 80. Similarly, the outer channel 73 on the side wall has a portion of the rib thereof cut away and a slot 82 is formed in the base thereof to accommodate the rib 83 on the channel 76. In this manner, a neat joint is provided at the corner. A similar arrangement is provided between the side wall joint and the base joint.

Where horizontally and vertically disposed channels are provided, as shown for example in FIGS. 11 and 12, the horizontal retainer members 35b on the horizontal joints have portions of the ribs 39 cut away and a slot 85 is formed in the base 37 thereof so that the retaining rib 39 of the vertical retaining members 35 can extend upwardly without interruption.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 15-17, where a door is provided, the retainer member 350 is provided with its wall 37 fiat, that is, without a retaining rib 39 so that the door can be hinged directly to the outer surface of the wall 37. Similarly, the opposed retaining member 35d is formed without a retaining rib 39 and a laterally extending butt plate 86 is formed on the surface to serve as a stop for the door when it swings inwardly. As further shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the lower portion of rnullion members 36a, 36b are cut away as at 87, 88 to accommodate the walls 65 of the outer base channel 61.

The corner joint between the walls is shown in section in FIG. 14. As shown, the rib 39 is omitted from retainer member 35d and a rib 89 is provided on the outer surface of wall 41 to engage the groove 40 of panel 27 (FIG. 1).

It can thus be seen that we have provided a partition structure that can be readily assembled and disassembled and will provide sufficient strength to form a wall that has all the appearances of a solid, permanent wall. Great flexibility is provided since panels of varying configurations, including glass panels and also doors, can be positioned as required. In the event that it is necessary to remove a panel, only one of the panels need be affected. The joints can be readily assembled and disassembled with a screw driver.

We claim:

1. In a partition structure, the combination comprising a first U-shaped base channel adapted to be fastened to the floor of a room in which the partition structure is located,

a second U-shaped base channel telescoped over said first base channel,

means for fixing said second base channel relative to said first base channel in adjusted telescoped relation,

a first U-shaped side wall channel adapted to be fixed to the wall of a room in which the partition structure is located,

a second U-shaped side wall channel adapted to be telescoped over said first side channel,

means for fastening said second side channel in adjusted relation to said first side channel,

a first U-shaped ceiling channel adapted to be fixed to the ceiling of a room in which the partition structure is located,

a second U-shaped ceiling channel telescoped over said first ceiling channel,

means for fastening said second ceiling channel in adjusted telescoped relation to said first ceiling channel,

a plurality of wall panels interposed between said base,

side and ceiling channels,

each said second base channel, second side channel, and second ceiling channel having a longitudinally extending rib on an outer face thereof,

the adjacent edges of said wall panels having complementary grooves into which said ribs extend,

and a joint assembly between adjacent edges of said wall panels comprising a pair of diametrically opposed retainer members extending substantially the entire length of the adjacent edges of the wall panels,

each said retainer member having a longitudinally extending retaining ri'b on an outer face thereof,

each adjacent wall member having a complementary groove into which the rib on the retainer member extends,

a pair of mullion members extending longitudinally substantially along the entire length of the retainer members,

said mullion members having at least two angularly related surfaces along the edges thereof interengaging complementary surfaces on the edges of said retainer members,

and fastening means extending between opposed mullion members for clamping said mullion members against the edges of said retainer members to form a rigid box-like joint.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the joint between the side channels and the base channels comprises spaced slots in one of the outer side and base channels,

the inner channel of the other of said side and base channels having legs thereof extending through said slots.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the wall panels are provided in vertically and horizontally spaced relation,

a joint assembly being provided along adjacent horizontal and vertical edges of said wall panels,

said horizontal retainer members at said intersecting joint having slots therein through which the retaining ribs of the vertical retainer members extend without interruption.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 including a door provided in an opening in said partition and hinged along a vertical edge of said opening,

one of said joint assemblies being provided along said edge,

the retainer member of said joint adjacent said door being provided with a flat surface instead of a longitudinally extending rib,

said door being hinged to said flat surface,

and one of joint assemblies being provided along the other vertical edge of said opening,

the retainer member of said joint adjacent said door having a butt plate instead of a retaining rib along the other vertical edge of the opening against which the door abuts when closing.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the joint between the side channels and the base channels comprises spaced slots in one of the outer side and base channels,

the inner channel of the other of said side and base channels having legs thereof extending through said slots,

the Wall panels are provided in vertically and horizontally spaced relation,

a joint assembly being provided along adjacent horizontal and vertical edges of said wall panels,

said horizontal retainer members at said intersecting joint having slots therein through which the retaining ribs of the vertical retainer members extend without interruption.

6. In a partition structure, a joint assembly adapted to be provided between the adjacent edges of wall panels comprising a first pair of diametrically opposed extruded retainer members adapted to extend substantially along the entire length of the adjacent edges of said wall panels,

said retainer members having means extending longitudinally therealong adapted to interengage said adjacent side edges of said wall panels,

a pair of generally fiat diametrically opposed extruded mullion members extending substantially along the entire length of the edges of said retainer members,

the longitudinal edges of said retainer members being ofiset laterally from the central portions of said retainer members,

each said mullion member including a pair of spaced longitudinally extending spaced walls directed laterally therefrom along each longitudinal edge thereof and telescoping over the offset longitudinal edges of the retainer members,

the surface of said retainer member which is adapted to be adjacent the edge of said wall panel and the surfaces of the outermost walls of said pairs of walls on said mullion members lying in substantially the same plane,

and fastening means for clamping said mullion members against said retainer members to form a hollow box-like rigid joint between adjacent wall panels.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1952 Australia.

RICHARD W. COOKE, 1a., Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A PARTITION STRUCTURE, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A FIRST U-SHAPED BASE CHANNEL ADAPTED TO BE FASTENED TO THE FLOOR OF A ROOM IN WHICH THE PARTITION STRUCTURE IS LOCATED, A SECOND U-SHAPED BASE CHANNEL TELESCOPED OVER SAID FIRST BASE CHANNEL, MEANS FOR FIXING SAID SECOND BASE CHANNEL RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST BASE CHANNEL IN ADJUSTED TELESCOPED RELATION, A FIRST U-SHAPED SIDE WALL CHANNEL ADAPTED TO BE FIXED TO THE WALL OF A ROOM IN WHICH THE PARTITION STRUCTURE IS LOCATED, A SECOND U-SHAPED SIDE WALL CHANNEL ADAPTED TO BE TELESCOPED OVER SAID FIRST SIDE CHANNEL, MEANS FOR FASTENING SAID SECOND SIDE CHANNEL IN ADJUSTED RELATION TO SAID FIRST SIDE CHANNEL, A FIRST U-SHAPED CEILING CHANNEL ADAPTED TO BE FIXED TO THE CEILING OF A ROOM IN WHICH THE PARTITION STRUCTURE IS LOCATED, A SECOND U-SHAPED CEILING CHANNEL TELESCOPED OVER SAID FIRST CEILING CHANNEL, MEANS FOR FASTENING SAID SECOND CEILING CHANNEL IN ADJUSTED TELESCOPED RELATION TO SAID FIRST CEILING CHANNEL, A PLURALITY OF WALL PANELS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID BASE, SIDE AND CEILING CHANNELS, EACH SAID SECOND BASE CHANNEL, SECOND SIDE CHANNEL, AND SECOND CEILING CHANNEL HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RIB ON AN OUTER FACE THEREOF, THE ADJACENT EDGES OF SAID WALL PANELS HAVING COMPLEMENTARY GROOVES INTO WHICH SAID RIBS EXTEND, AND A JOINT ASSEMBLY BETWEEN ADJACENT EDGES OF SAID WALL PANELS COMPRISING A PAIR OF DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED RATAINER MEMBERS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE ADJACENT EDGES OF THE WALL PANELS, EACH SAID RETAINER MEMBER HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RETAINING RIB ON AN OUTER FACE THEREOF, EACH ADJACENT WALL MEMBER HAVING A COMPLEMENTARY GROOVE INTO WHICH THE RIB ON THE RETAINER MEMBER EXTENDS, A PAIR OF MULLION MEMBERS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY SUBSTANTIALLY ALONG THE ENTIRE LENGHT OF THE RETAINER MEMBERS, SAID MULLION MEMBERS HAVING AT LEAST TWO ANGULARLY RELATED SURFACES ALONG THE EDGES THEREOF INTERENGAGING COMPLEMENTARY SURFACES ON THE EDGES OF SAID RETAINER MEMBERS, AND FASTENING MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN OPPOSED MULLION MEMBERS FOR CLAMPING SAID MULLION MEMBERS AGAINST THE EDGES OF SAID RETAINER MEMBERS TO FORM A RIGID BOX-LIKE JOINT. 